Saturday, January 28, 2012

Taking Liberty With A Meeting.....

Shortly after my last days working down on Columbus Street, I was invited to join a group of other retirees at a quarterly luncheon. They had been doing this for years.

My first time was at Ryan's in West Ashley and there was a nice group of men, many of whom I recognized. Lots of food. Good company.

Looking around, I asked if no ladies had ever retired from the paper and was told they had a "ladies only" group.

About a year later, I was informed the quarterly gathering had moved to East Cooper to the The Point Sports Bar & Grill next to the Shrine on Patriot's Point.

Somehow during the next several years I must have missed a meeting. Now I was in charge of setting them up every three months.

Rule of thumb: don't ever miss a meeting.

At last October's lunch, we were told the restaurant would be closing so we started looking around for a new site. We had several months to check for a good one.The Liberty Tap Room (formerly TBonz) in Mt. Pleasant was the choice and looks like we'll be happy there.

I worked with Kelly to book the space and she said we'd have the downstairs Raw Bar as a private room.

Didn't really know how many would show up (I taped a note with directions to the front door of the closed restaurant we had been using).

The General Manager James Romano was kind enough to have tables moved around so we would be clustered together for easier conversation. Our server was Chris who did a fine job.

That's really why we gather ..to reminisce and find out what's been going on with each other. And to enjoy a great lunch.

It was a beautiful sunny Friday and the turnout was above average. Several wives came along and sat together for lunch in the main restaurant.

I had e-mailed the meeting announcement - with directions to the new site - to about 25 members and sent postcards to the other 60 members.

Computer usage is not common across the board.

A few years ago we changed the name to THE 134 GANG.

That was the street address for the paper when it was on Meeting Street for many years and the number selected when it moved to Columbus Street.

The Gang has a new hangout.

(Click on the photos - twice - for more detail.)

This is the 498th posting on my blog and I'm starting to focus on the 500th.